France-Germany 2026 Call for Proposals: France and Germany step up their R&D cooperation

On 17 June 2026, Bpifrance and the German agency ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) officially relaunched their joint France-Germany call for proposals, opening a new funding window for companies in both countries wishing to jointly develop innovations with high commercial potential.

Launched in 2015, this bilateral call for projects is now one of the most well-structured R&D funding mechanisms between France and Germany. Following twelve successive rounds, this new cycle confirms the strength and continuity of a scheme that has established itself as a catalyst for accelerating innovation for companies in both countries.

A call to support R&D projects with high commercial potential

The France-Germany call for proposals aims to support collaborative R&D projects carried out jointly by French and German companies, leading to the market launch of innovative products, services or processes.

Which projects are eligible?

To be eligible, a project must meet several key criteria:

• Nature of the project: any type of industrial R&D or experimental development project, provided it leads to market launch.
• Bilateral added value: the project must demonstrate the specific benefits of Franco-German collaboration, with clear prospects for industrialization in both countries.
• Duration: up to 36 months.

Beneficiaries

This call for proposals is aimed at medium-sized organizations with strong potential for international growth. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Binational consortium: at least one French company and one German company (or SME), each operating independently of the other. Partner research institutes may also be involved in the project.
• Organization size: SMEs and mid-cap companies with fewer than 2,000 employees, demonstrating strong potential for international expansion.
• Balanced technological contribution: in a consortium with two partners, neither partner may account for more than 70 per cent of the total man-months for the project. Where there are more than two partners, this ceiling is reduced to 50 per cent. This rule ensures genuine collaboration and prevents unbalanced arrangements.

Funding arrangements

Funding for this call is national: each country funds its successful applicants in accordance with its own terms and conditions.

French side – Bpifrance

Successful French companies may be eligible for innovation funding from their regional Bpifrance office, ranging from €50,000 to €3 million. This funding takes the form of an R&D Innovation Loan or an Unsecured Loan,

Eligible expenditure comprises costs related to industrial research and experimental development (industrialization and commercialization costs are not eligible).

German side – AiF Projekt GmbH / ZIM

On the German side, funding is provided by AiF Projekt GmbH, which manages the ZIM program on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs. German partners are funded in accordance with the scales and terms specific to the ZIM programme, which notably offers direct grants to SMEs.

Timeline: applications open until 18 November 2026

The France-Germany 2026 call for projects has been open since 17 June 2026 and applications will be accepted until 18 November 2026.

Support of ABGi: strong local presence in France and Germany

Applying for a bilateral call for projects is more complex than a standard national application: it involves coordinating two stakeholders in two countries, meeting the

requirements of two separate funding agencies, and demonstrating the coherence and complementarity of the project at every level.

With over 35 years’ experience in financing innovation and an operational presence in both France and Germany through ABGi Germany (PFIF), ABGi supports Franco-German consortia throughout the entire process: from identifying partners and structuring the consortium, to drafting and optimising applications on the French side (Bpifrance) and the German side (AiF / ZIM), as well as coordinating between the teams in both countries.

Thanks to this local presence on both sides of the Rhine, ABGi is the preferred point of contact for companies wishing to maximise their chances of success in this Franco-German call for proposals.